In the U.S. over 2,000 people die each year from lightning strikes. The chance of being struck in a year is 1 in 700,000 and the chance of being struck in a lifetime is 1 in 3,000. Even with this low likelyhood of being struck it's good to know what's safe and unsafe. Have you ever wondered if it's safe to use a cell phone during a lightning storm? The use of cell phones during a lightning storm is becoming a more and more important topic in this electronic world. Is it really safe?
Photograph by William R. Curstinger
It is safe to use a cell phone during a lightning storm. As long as the phone has no cord attaching it to a house or building, it's safe. Stay indoors, if possible, during a lightning storm. It has been studied that if a cell phone is used outdoors during a storm it reduces flashover, or the ability that skin has to resist the production of electricity throughout the body. If a body's flashover is decreased then being struck by lightning can do much more damage to internal organs. A 15-year-old girl in London was struck by lightning while using her cell phone. She had been outside at the time and she lived. There is controversy over what caused this accident; was it the cell phone that attracted the lightning, or was is just the fact that she was outside during a lightning storm? Scienceline.org says "Think about how small a cell phone is and really think about how small you are compared to the buildings and structures around you." Whether or not cell phones attract lightning, stay indoors during lightning storms, it's much safer.
Houses are grounded safely most of the time, but a house can accidentally be grounded unsafely with gutters, plumbing, etc. If you use a phone that is connected to the house by a cord there is a larger chance of being shocked. Don't use corded phones, if you need to make a call during a storm use a wireless phone. It may seem as if it's very unlikely to get struck, but 100 bolts of lightning strike the planet every second.
Lightning striking house: http://www.livescience.com/environment/060622_lightning_mobile.html
First picture of lightning: http://www.scienceline.org/2006/07/11/ask-thompson-cellphone/
Second Picture, Lightning striking water: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/lightning-general/lightningoverwater.html
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/lightning-profile.html
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/lightning-interactive.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_4420007_be-safe-during-thunderstorm.html
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0624clay0625.html
